Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Nyctanassa violacea

Birds of this species normally take two years to reach full maturity, and sometimes three or even four. The orange eyes and dark gray rather thanblack head feathers on the bird above in breeding season may indicate an immature.

Above,
a less than fully mature bird, probably in its second winter, in
January in Costa Rica, as indicated by the mixture of brown with black
and white feathers on the head, and the orange eyes. Below, in
mid-April on the Texas Gulf Coast, an apparent juvenile bird, with gray
and brown feathering rather than black and white on the head.

Adult birds, in March in Florida above, Texas in April below, and Costa Rica in January at the bottom.